Here is an encouraging thought … the God of the Universe wants to do life with you and me!
Have you been keeping God in a compartmental portion of your life? Or have you understood and accepted that God has invited you and me to go through life with Him?
Recently, I have been seeking to understand this in a deeper way as I have been reading a very small book and yet a very powerful book entitled, “The Practice of the Presence of God.”
The author known simply as Brother Lawrence lived in France during the 17th century and although he lived a very modest and (seemingly insignificant) life he wrote down some words that are very significant. He wrote …
“There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful than that of a continual conversation with God. Only those can comprehend it who practice and experience it. Yet I do not advise you to do it from that motive. It is not pleasure which we ought to seek in this exercise. Let us do it from a principle of love, and because it is God’s will for us.
Were I a preacher, I would above all other things preach the practice of the presence of God. … Resolve to spend the rest of your days in His sacred presence.… Set heartily about this work, and if you do it sincerely, be assured that you will soon find the effects of it.” -- The Practice of the Presence of God written by Brother Lawrence
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Dealing with a Bad Attitude
How do you deal with a bad attitude?
I am not talking about the guy who cut you off in traffic and gave you an interesting “salute” in the process, the lady who was complaining loudly in the checkout line at the grocery store, or the “grouch” at work (or home). I am talking about the bad attitude in your own heart that raises its ugly head from time to time throughout the course of a day or week.
I wish that I couldn’t personally relate to this topic, but the truth is that I struggle with my attitude more often than I would like to admit. And yet, this morning in my Bible reading, I came across a possible solution for my attitude when it turns sour. Listen to the following words from the 50th Psalm: “Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High. Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory” (Psalm 50:14-15 NLT).
Since I was dealing with my own bad attitude this morning, the above Bible verses really spoke to my heart. These God inspired words reminded me that sometimes it takes effort and even sacrifice to give thanks to God. As result of that realization, I admitted to God that I had a bad attitude (obviously He already knew!) and then I began to thank God for every blessing (every good thing) that surrounded the situation which was troubling me.
Guess what happened? God rescued me from my bad attitude and replaced it with a renewed grateful heart. My hope and prayer is that God will be honored through this personal confession and a changed attitude for the rest of the day!
I am not talking about the guy who cut you off in traffic and gave you an interesting “salute” in the process, the lady who was complaining loudly in the checkout line at the grocery store, or the “grouch” at work (or home). I am talking about the bad attitude in your own heart that raises its ugly head from time to time throughout the course of a day or week.
I wish that I couldn’t personally relate to this topic, but the truth is that I struggle with my attitude more often than I would like to admit. And yet, this morning in my Bible reading, I came across a possible solution for my attitude when it turns sour. Listen to the following words from the 50th Psalm: “Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High. Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory” (Psalm 50:14-15 NLT).
Since I was dealing with my own bad attitude this morning, the above Bible verses really spoke to my heart. These God inspired words reminded me that sometimes it takes effort and even sacrifice to give thanks to God. As result of that realization, I admitted to God that I had a bad attitude (obviously He already knew!) and then I began to thank God for every blessing (every good thing) that surrounded the situation which was troubling me.
Guess what happened? God rescued me from my bad attitude and replaced it with a renewed grateful heart. My hope and prayer is that God will be honored through this personal confession and a changed attitude for the rest of the day!
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Living an Authentic Life
A tendency as we go through life is to put up a “false front” and to give the appearance to others that we don’t have any problems. The truth is that we all have struggles in life!
Sometimes Christians are tempted to think that to acknowledge weakness and/or shortcomings is to weaken their example to others that they are seeking to influence. In contrast, one of the most inspiring lives recorded in Scripture is King David, who regularly wrote about his personal struggles and his desperate need for God.
David wrote, “O LORD, I am calling to you. Please hurry! Listen when I cry to you for help! … Take control of what I say, O LORD, and guard my lips. Don’t let me drift toward evil or take part in acts of wickedness. … I look to you for help, O Sovereign LORD” (Psalm 141:1, 3, 4, 8).
The inspiration of David’s life is not that he perfectly lived out his faith, but that he continually looked to God for strength and deliverance! When we examine the life of David, we see an individual who struggled in life and in relationships, but he lived an authentic life before God and others. David did not use his authenticity as an excuse to continue in sin, but instead he continually cried out for God to refine him and guide him. Now that is inspirational!
Sometimes Christians are tempted to think that to acknowledge weakness and/or shortcomings is to weaken their example to others that they are seeking to influence. In contrast, one of the most inspiring lives recorded in Scripture is King David, who regularly wrote about his personal struggles and his desperate need for God.
David wrote, “O LORD, I am calling to you. Please hurry! Listen when I cry to you for help! … Take control of what I say, O LORD, and guard my lips. Don’t let me drift toward evil or take part in acts of wickedness. … I look to you for help, O Sovereign LORD” (Psalm 141:1, 3, 4, 8).
The inspiration of David’s life is not that he perfectly lived out his faith, but that he continually looked to God for strength and deliverance! When we examine the life of David, we see an individual who struggled in life and in relationships, but he lived an authentic life before God and others. David did not use his authenticity as an excuse to continue in sin, but instead he continually cried out for God to refine him and guide him. Now that is inspirational!
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Aware but not Obsessed
One of my observations in listening to other believers talk about matters of faith is that some seem to be obsessed with the workings of Satan (a.k.a The Evil One or the Devil). Now don't get me wrong, I am painfully aware in my own life and in the lives of others the presence and seductive ploys of the Evil One.
One example of such a ploy is found in the Bible, when the Evil One tempted Israel's King David to put his confidence in the size and strength of his military, as opposed to simply trusting the power of God. The Bible records the following description of this particular spiritual attack: "Now Satan entered the scene and seduced David into taking a census of Israel" (1 Chronicles 21:1 MSG).
So obviously seekers of God, should realize that there is an Evil One who is seeking to derail our pursuit of God and his presence in our lives. And yet I believe the focus and confidence of followers of Christ should be on the power of God and not simply the schemes of Satan.
One example of such a ploy is found in the Bible, when the Evil One tempted Israel's King David to put his confidence in the size and strength of his military, as opposed to simply trusting the power of God. The Bible records the following description of this particular spiritual attack: "Now Satan entered the scene and seduced David into taking a census of Israel" (1 Chronicles 21:1 MSG).
So obviously seekers of God, should realize that there is an Evil One who is seeking to derail our pursuit of God and his presence in our lives. And yet I believe the focus and confidence of followers of Christ should be on the power of God and not simply the schemes of Satan.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Victorious Living
While reading the life pursuits of David, the famous King of Israel, I am inspired to grow deeper in my relationship with God. David’s amazing life is summarized with the following sentence from the Bible, “So the LORD made David victorious wherever he went” (2 Samuel 8:6 NLT).
What was the secret to David’s victorious life of faith? Can you and I experience a similar victorious lifestyle today? What can you and I learn from David and his faith, so that we like him can go from victory to victory in life?
Possibly the answer to the above questions can be found in a Psalm that David wrote at about the same time that he was experiencing great victory. David wrote, “The LORD is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth. He grants the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cries for help and rescues them. The LORD protects all those who love him." (Psalm 145:18-20 NLT).
It appears that the reason the LORD continually granted David victory, was that David (although not perfect … read 2 Samuel 11-12) humbly sought God’s direction in his life by repeatedly asking for the LORD’s direction, protection, and blessing in his life.
Will you join me in humbly asking the LORD for his help?
What was the secret to David’s victorious life of faith? Can you and I experience a similar victorious lifestyle today? What can you and I learn from David and his faith, so that we like him can go from victory to victory in life?
Possibly the answer to the above questions can be found in a Psalm that David wrote at about the same time that he was experiencing great victory. David wrote, “The LORD is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth. He grants the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cries for help and rescues them. The LORD protects all those who love him." (Psalm 145:18-20 NLT).
It appears that the reason the LORD continually granted David victory, was that David (although not perfect … read 2 Samuel 11-12) humbly sought God’s direction in his life by repeatedly asking for the LORD’s direction, protection, and blessing in his life.
Will you join me in humbly asking the LORD for his help?
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Suffering
The following Bible passage really speaks to my heart:
So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin. You won’t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God. You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy—their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols. 1 Peter 4:1-3 NLT
The Apostle Peter reminds us that just as Jesus had to endure pain to die for sin, we will need to endure pain in our lives to die to sin! I have to be honest … sometimes in my life I have just not been willing to “arm myself with the same attitude that Christ had.” And yet this Bible passage has called you and me to the willingness to suffer to say no to sin in our lives so that we can live the “holy life” that God has called us to live!!
For the most part, we all like for life to be easy. We want the good things of life, the blessings of God in our life and yet if we are really honest with ourselves, we want it to come easy. And yet rarely in life does anything worthwhile come easy. A quality education, a satisfying career, a well conditioned physically fit body, a happy marriage, a harmonious family with well adjusted children, a strong, growing church, a healthy spiritual life that includes a holy lifestyle all are of great worth, and yet rarely do we have people willing to endure suffering to realize those good, healthy objectives in life. How about you?
So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin. You won’t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God. You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy—their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols. 1 Peter 4:1-3 NLT
The Apostle Peter reminds us that just as Jesus had to endure pain to die for sin, we will need to endure pain in our lives to die to sin! I have to be honest … sometimes in my life I have just not been willing to “arm myself with the same attitude that Christ had.” And yet this Bible passage has called you and me to the willingness to suffer to say no to sin in our lives so that we can live the “holy life” that God has called us to live!!
For the most part, we all like for life to be easy. We want the good things of life, the blessings of God in our life and yet if we are really honest with ourselves, we want it to come easy. And yet rarely in life does anything worthwhile come easy. A quality education, a satisfying career, a well conditioned physically fit body, a happy marriage, a harmonious family with well adjusted children, a strong, growing church, a healthy spiritual life that includes a holy lifestyle all are of great worth, and yet rarely do we have people willing to endure suffering to realize those good, healthy objectives in life. How about you?
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Where Should I Put My Hope?
It is easy for us to put our hope in good things , but neverless the wrong things. It is easy to put our hope in family, friends, spiritual leaders, good works, dreams of accomplishing good in this world, etc.
And yet the Psalmist reminds us that there is only one secure source to put our hope. He writes ...
We put our hope in the Lord.
He is our help and our shield.
In him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in his holy name.
Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord,
for our hope is in you alone. Psalm 33:20-22
And yet the Psalmist reminds us that there is only one secure source to put our hope. He writes ...
We put our hope in the Lord.
He is our help and our shield.
In him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in his holy name.
Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord,
for our hope is in you alone. Psalm 33:20-22
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